Jf tt.V > i . r./- 1 .fr.i.l'J :
Conservative , 11
the siege , as one of the most threatening
barricades was built in it , and the rifle
shots from that quarter were incessant.
It was suspected , moreover , that it was
intended to explode a mine under some
of the nearest Legation builuings. only
a few rods distant a suspicion which
proved to have been well founded , as
the mine had been dug and the fuse
was prepared. The British relief corps
had no sooner occupied the Legation
than a hole was blown in the Carriage
Park wall by moans of dynamite , and
the swarthy Pdthans and Beluohis filed
into the large pastures thus placed at
their disposal. It utd not take long to
run out of doors the lacq red red and
yellow Imperial equipages" , where they
were afterward exposed to the vicissi
tudes of the hot August sun and the
pouring rains. Mountains of parapher
nalia were found in every building
silk cushions , satin pillows , gorgeous
harnesses and trappings of every descrip
tion and of no description at all. Mule
loads of this elegant rubbish were
brought into the Legation for sale by
auction , or perhaps for transmission to
the distant Isle of the Ocean whence
came the 'fierce and untamable Bar
barian * ( as the British used to be termed
in Chinese dispatches ) . Both in the
expansive grounds of the Carriage Park
and the far larger ones of the Temple of
Heaven , parks of artillery stand serenely
awaiting fresh orders , the mules mean
time trampling in the mire hundreds of
moth-eaten hats made of felt , and fur
longs of once elegant and costly silk
coverings of bridal chairs and palanquins.
The tall weeds , undisturbed for no one
can say how long by the hand of man or
the hoof of beast , rapidly disappear , and
the entire spectacle is one adapted to
make Celestials weep.
The Imperial University.
"Adjoining the Carriage Park on the
east , and the British Legation on the
north , stood the series of extensive court
yards and halls which contained the
Han-Lin , or Imperial Chinese Univer
sity of highest grade , one of the most
ancient and laost famous seats of learn
ing in the world. During the early
days of the siege the happy idea oc
curred to the Chinese that , with the
wind in the north , to set fire to the Han
Lin would be to roost the British Lega
tion and everyone in it. As a result 01
herculean efforts the fires were put out
but nearly all the halls were destroyed
The principal literary monument of the
, most ancient people in the world was
obliterated in an afternoon , and the
/wooden stereotype plates of the most
valuable works became a prey to the
flames , or were used in building barri
cades , or as kindling by the British
marines. Priceless literary treasure
v ere tumbled into the lotus ponds , we
\ , with the floods of water used to extin
*
guish\the fires , and later buried afte
they liad began to rot , to diminish th
disagreeable odor. Expensive camphorweed -
wood cases containing the rare and
unique Encyclopaedia of Hung-Lo ( a
exicographical work resembling the
Century Dictionary , but probably many
mndred times as extensive ) were filled
with earth to form a part of the ram
parts for defense , while the innumerable
volumes comprising this great thesaurus
were dispersed in every direction ,
probably to every library in Europe , as
well as to Innumerable private colloc-
; ions , not a few of the volumes being
brown into the common heap to mold
and to be buried like the rest. Thous
ands of Han-Lin essays lay about the
premises , the sport of every breeze ,
erving as firewood for the troops. . Odd
volumes of choice works furnished the
waste paper of the entire Legation for
nearly two months , and were found in
ihe kitchens , used by the coolies as pads
'or ' carrying bricks on their shoulders ,
and lay in piles in the outer streets and
were ground into tatters under the
wheels of passing carts when traffic was
once more resumed. Of the varied forms
of Nemesis connected with the uprising
against foreigners in China , the fate of
the ancient and famous Han-Lin takes
perhaps the foremost place. Out of
iwenty or twenty-five halls , but two
remain , and it is impossible not to see
that the ideas which this University
represented have received a refutation
which must convince even the most
obstinate of Confucianists that the past
era is forever closed.
"The part which the Tsungli-Yamen ,
or Foreign Office , has taken in the rela
tion between China and the West has
been already mentioned. It has been an
Oriental circumlocution office , not to
transact but to prevent the transaction
of business. It is itself an epitome of
the double-dealing , shuffling , and
treacherous policy which has marked
the course of China's intercourse with
her 'Sister Nations. ' A just fate has
overtaken it , for it is now guarded by a
party of Japanese soldiers , and the
various interpreters of the Legations
went on a set day and unitedly sealed
each the bureau containing the records
of the correspondence with his own
country , so that they are in the safe
custody of all the Powers , while not
accessible to any one least of all to the
Chinese. Surely the humiliation of a
great empire could scarcely go lower
than this. "
LITERARY NOTES.
"In "The House Behind the Cedars"
Charles W. Chestnut , who so skillfully
drew a number of pictures of life on the
"other side" of the "color line , " in "The
Wife of His Youth , " has again depicted
the tragedy which , in America , accom
panies the taint of negro blood. The
story appeared originally in Modern
Culture , and attracted therein much at
tention and favorable notice. The hero-
ine is an octoroon , who , half innocently ,
wins a white lover , and this , when her
slight infusion of negro blood is discov
ered , leads to a denouement tragio in its
quiet inevitableness all the more tragio
because so devoid of anything like melo
dramatic violence. Mr. Chestnut in his
other books has shown himself a master
of lucid style. In "The House Behind
the Cedars" this quality is not only
again in evidence , but is accompanied
by a psychological grasp and philosophi
cal depth of understanding that indicate
for the author a future of power. It is
almost certain that the book will excite
opposition and incur condemnation
from many critics whose feelings on the
"color question" are strong , while from
all whose sympathies go out to a race
struggling to elevate itself in the face of
great odds , and even opposition , it must
win appreciation. Messrs. Houghton ,
Mifflin & Co. announce the book for the
latter part of October.
Messrs. Houghton , Miffln & Oo.'s an
nouncements for November 10th com
prise these volumes : A handsome and
profusely illustrated edition of James T.
Field's "Yesterdays with Authors ; "
"The Prodigal , " a story of water-front
life in San Francisco in the early days
and the regeneration of a New Zealand
ne'er do-well by his love for a good
woman ; "Through Old-Rose Glasses ,
and Other Stories , " a collection of short
stories , all of the south old and new , by
Mary Tracy Earle ; "The Book of Saints
and Friendly Beasts , " by Abbie Far-
well Brown , seventeen stories told for
boys and girls of the holy men and wo
men who have had birds and beasts for
their friends and who have been pro
tected by them ; and a new illustrated
issue of the library edition of Longfel
low , Tennyson , Whittier and Holmes ,
with editions of Lowell , Meredith , Alice
and Phoebe Gary , and Whittier's
"Songs of Three Centuries" in uniform
binding.
A BOOK ABOUT CALIFORNIA.
One of the most attractive railroad
books ever published has just been is
sued by the passenger department of the
Burlington Route.
Its title is "California. "
It contains 72 pages and the illustra
tions , of which there are 62 , are of the
most notable scenes in the land of sun
shine , fruits and "flowers.
One chapter of the book treats of the
climate of California ; another of Mon
terey ; a third of Yosemite Valley. San
Francisco receives attention to the ex
tent of six very interesting pages. Pas
adena , Santa Catalina Island , Coronado
Beach , and a dozen other Southern Cal
ifornia resorts , are described in a most
entertaining manner.
Under the caption : "How to Get to
California , " the reader is given a great
deal of valuable information about the
various routes to and from the Pacific
Coast. All in all , the book is one
which reflects great credit on its pub
lishers. It should be in the hands of
everyone who contemplates visiting Cal
ifornia. A copy will be mailed to any
address on receipt of sis cents in stamps
by J. Francis , general passenger agent ,
Omaha , Nebraska.
